Section 05: Tech Occupations
Wages & Top Industries
While the median earnings for a tech occupation are around $97,300, actual earnings can vary widely based on industry and experience
The lowest percentile earns about $52,480, and the highest can earn about $166,810 a year. North Carolina’s wages are competitive with the national average—particularly when accounting for cost of living. The cost-of-living-adjusted wage is higher than the national average up through the 90th percentile.
Tech Occupation Wage Distribution by Location, 2024
Source: EL calculations based on Lightcast 2025.4
As noted earlier, tech occupations exist across many different industries. The chart below shows which two-digit industries employ tech workers in North Carolina
Beyond the expected Professional Services and Information industries, tech workers are also present—and growing strongly—in finance, government, and all types of manufacturing. In the Finance and Insurance sectors, about 23% of all jobs are tech occupations, and the sector added over 20,900 tech workers from 2019 to 2024. Tech workers now account for 11% of the manufacturing industry as production has become more automated and integrated.
North Carolina's Top Industries Employing Tech Occupations, 2024
